


There's a Home for You

by Skeletons_to_Ashes



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Main Video Game Series), Pocket Monsters: Black & White | Pokemon Black and White Versions
Genre: Angst, Cute, Fluff, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Isshu-chihou | Unova, IsshuShipping - Freeform, M/M, POV Third Person, Pokemon Abuse, Pokemon Death, child n, implied/mention of child neglect
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-25
Updated: 2015-04-25
Packaged: 2018-03-25 15:17:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,610
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3815230
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Skeletons_to_Ashes/pseuds/Skeletons_to_Ashes
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The final battle is nearing, and Touya finds himself frantically racing through N's castle in search of the man he loves. Instead he finds a strange Pokemon that leads him into N's room, and finds himself seeing visions of N's childhood playing out before him. Forcing him to face the reality of N's struggles.</p>
            </blockquote>





	There's a Home for You

Onyx tiles whirled by in a hazy daze of desperation, as panic began to nestle itself into the pit of the teen’s stomach. Every door looked the same as the last with tall, white looming walls that seemed to go on for miles. Making him lose track of the ones he had already passed, but the increasing sound of boots storming against the dark tiles only made the trainer pick up his already rushed pace. Heart pounding within his aching chest, as his eyes wildly scanned each door. Anything. Any detail that could have told him if he had been here before, but every strained glance only brought spinning images of the same damn frames, hinges, and patterns. Spiraling around in Touya’s frantic mind. Had he checked that door? Did he even have the time? Even without the presence of a clock, he could hear the seconds tick past, as he began to feel his odds slipping through his fingertips. Was it really too late?

“Over there!” He heard a grunt shout behind him, as a number of feet slid across the floor at the sound. Even without looking, he knew they were close. The echoes of their shoes smashing against his ears increased with every second that he wasted searching this place. He could feel his determination faltering. What would happen to the Champion if he failed? What would happen to the world? What would happen to N? The thoughts clogged his already overrun mind, as he raced down the long halls of the unwelcomed castle.

Down another one again. It felt like he was running in circles. The grunts would reach him soon if he didn’t take a chance with a door. Sliding to a halt, he picked a random door out of the selection presented to him, praying it didn’t contain another set of grunts, and reached his hand out for it. Fingers flinching when the sound of tapping bounced through the hall. His heart stopped, lunging towards his throat, as he slowly turned his head to face the source of the noise. Hands trembling with both fear and anger, but his gaze failed to meet anything. A sigh of relief slipped past his lips.

Shoving aside his concerns, he took a step towards the door once again. But a hard tug at the bottom of his pant leg stopped him. The thick fabric rubbing against his skin relentlessly, as more tugs were given roughly. Turning his head, he spotted a blur of purple, as the creature that had been chewing on his jeans leapt away.

“H-Hey,” He scolded, “You scared me.” Pressing a palm to his chest, he knelt down on the tile. Extending a hand towards the vibrating form of the fox, as he allowed a smile to play on his features. “It’s okay.” He lowered his voice, pressing his legs against the ground in an attempt to make himself smaller. “You should be careful. I don’t know what will happen if they catch you.” But the only response the kit managed was a snarl that shook its tiny body, causing Touya to flinch. He didn’t have time to play games with the Pokemon, but if he left it the grunts could catch it.

The Zorua’s attention only remained on Touya for a moment, ears twitching upon its fuzzy head. Time was up. The grunts were here. The small Pokemon bolted, and Touya stumbled onto his feet after it. “Wait!” But his words didn’t appear to reach the creature, as it turned down another hall with the trainer not far behind. Hands reaching out towards the small creature, fingertips gliding along the fluff of its tail; just barely missing it. Biting his lip, he shoved his heels forward, and lunged at the small creature. But his fingers missed their mark right as the Pokemon slipped through door. Only his eyes had time to widen before he smacked his forehead hard against the solid surface with a pained groan. Newly bruised skin sliding onto the floor with a thud. Hands shuffling past his body, and across the floor until they managed to press against his head. Shoving them into his bushy hair with all of his might in an attempt to keep his throbbing skull from shattering into a thousand pieces.

He could still hear the pounding of his aching head when annoyed chatter echoed through the walls, and reality smacked him in the face about as hard as he had smacked it into the door. Leaping to his feet, hands still holding his head together, he glanced down the hallway before yanking open the door the Pokemon had just vanished through in a frenzy. Scampering into it without any regard for what might be waiting for him within.

“All right, Touya, you’ve got this,” He exhaled before glancing into the quiet room. He felt reality fall away from him all at once, as his eyes wandered over the colorful carpet. A light blue surface covered in a neat, and precise pattern of clouds flowing easily along it. Removing himself from the door, he took a step out onto that soft carpet. Feeling it give under his weight, as he found himself gawking at the rest of the strange room. A small basketball court to his left; a ball still rolling slowly across its beaten surface. To his left sat a messy set of trains in more colors than he could count. Some toppled over, and others latched into one another in a circular pattern. Behind them, and taking up almost the entirety of the back of the room was a large ramp intended to be used by skateboard, but it was instead covered in claw marks. Ones that looked as if they could have been created by the Pokemon that had fled from the boy. But even still more items were scattered about the floor. More toys, too many for Touya to keep track of, and an old T.V. that he doubted still worked despite the fuzzy sound of static singing from it. It felt like another world entirely. So very different from the elegant walls of the castle just a few feet behind him.

A soft laugh made his breath hitch in his throat. “Is someone there?” But the only response he received was another laugh. A child’s. It was light and airy, but repressed, as if it was afraid of being too loud. Allowing his hands to fall to his side, he grasped tightly onto the strap of his bag, and took a shaky step forward in order to peer into the small corner beside the ramp. Catching sight of cascading green hair, and a dulled orange shirt. The boy’s small arms wrapped tightly around the purple fox, as he rubbed his battered face into the Pokemon’s soft fur.

“N?” He uttered the name so quietly, terrified of disturbing him, but also scared to death of the boy answering. It was impossible, but this child looked so much like the man he loved that he found himself staring. Writing down all of their similarities in his mind. The bruises, the scars, all of them he could remember tracing over with his fingertips not long ago. He could feel his heart sinking into his stomach, and his knuckles going weak from the pressure of which he was placing upon the strap og his bag. So flooded with questions, his mind was drowning. It couldn’t be. N was with Team Plasma. N was safe. N was not a child.

And, yet, that child turned to him slowly. Lifting his teary-eyed face from the comfort of the Zorua to stare back into Touya’s wavering gaze. The color had drained from the boy’s visage, and he hugged the small Pokemon closer. Brows yanked together to furrow in a growing fury that made Touya take a step back. He could see the small fox trembling against the boy, its lips pulling back into a growl, as its fur went rigid.

“Go away!” The child shouted. A shiver ran down Touya’s spine at the rage that laced itself through the boy’s tone. A frown fixed itself onto the toddler’s features, and he took off. Green locks flowing wildly after him. Touya knew. How could he not? This child was N, and he didn’t understand how, but he wasn’t going to lose him again.

“N, wait!” He stumbled over the basketball, as he chased after the retreating form of the child. Further. Further. The boy went, and Touya reached his hand out in desperation, fingers grasping onto the fabric of child’s shirt. Holding onto it as tightly as he could when N turned to him. Tears streaming down the boy’s dirty cheeks.

“Leave it alone,” He heard the boy mutter weakly, hugging the snarling Pokemon closer to him. For a moment the world around them was silent aside from the fox’s growls. White. There was nothing. The colorful room that had caged them moments ago had vanished, and Touya held even tighter onto the boy’s shirt. Teeth sinking deep into his tongue, as he tried to place what was real and what was a dream, but he could feel the pain. The warmth of blood against his gums, and the crisp material of N’s shirt against his palm. His eyes squeezed shut, and when he could finally will himself to open them again without the fear of vomiting nipping at the back of his throat, the colorful room had returned. And he could feel its solidness against his shoes once again.

But N had slipped from his grasp, and he found himself kneeling on the ground. Palms pressed firmly into the now harsh carpet. Fingers twisting around its pile. “N?” Came his shaky voice, as he crawled out from behind the ramp. Relief washing over him as he spotted the form of the small child. Battered hands combing through the Zorua’s fur, as the boy sat cradled in the arms of a collection of Pokemon. All sleeping soundly around him. He could hear N’s soft, gentle voice counting off to them. Saying their names, he guessed, as the boy sang silly songs to them. Ones Touya had never heard before, and could only imagine N had made up. Toys had moved about the room. Some had more marks now, and the basketball was propped carefully against N’s heel.

Touya couldn’t stop the smile that slid onto his lips. He looked so peaceful, so happy. This was a part of N’s life he hadn’t known. A part the man hadn’t told him. And he yearned to understand it. The love this child felt for the Pokemon gathered about him so calmly, the things he enjoyed, and the games he used to play.

But the lights in the room began to dim, and he felt a weight pressing down upon him. A heaviness he did not know. Slowly he could begin to hear ruthless footsteps trailing along the carpet. His first instinct was to race towards N, and he shoved himself on to shaky feet in preparation for just that. A tall man came into view, one he did not know, but N cowered at the sight of him. And the Pokemon gathered about the boy rose quickly, fur bristling, as snarls rattled their bodies. Each one moving to stand before the boy.

“No, leave us alone!” N shouted, picking up the small Zorua, and hugging it close to him. Tiny feet taking large steps back, and even from where he stood, Touya could see N trembling.

Clenching his fists, the teen lunged for the man, but his body phased through the stranger’s, and he smacked hard into the floor. A groan of pain slipping past his lips, as he rolled onto his stomach. Palms quick to shove themselves against the floor, fully prepared for another attempted tackle despite the fact that he hadn’t a clue as to what was happening. But before he could regain his composure, the man reached out, and grabbed one of the small creatures in front of the child. Fist tangling into its fur, as the Pokemon yelped. N dropped Zorua, leaping at the man just as he threw the small animal into the ramp.

And just like that the man had vanished. Left speechless, Touya could only watch as N crawled to the injured Pokemon’s side. Tears streaming down his cheeks, as he reached frightened hands out to the whimpering creature. Gathering it into his arms, and whispering shaky, but soothing words to the poor Pokemon.

Shoving himself up, Touya raced over to N’s side. “Is it okay?” He asked quickly, kneeling down beside the boy.

“Get away!” N tucked the Pokemon against his stomach, and turned his back to Touya. “Leave it alone!”

“No, I don’t want to hurt it. Let me help you.” He reached a hand out for the boy, but instead found it met by the sharp fangs of the persistent Zorua. Wincing, as he felt its teeth sink deep into his flesh, but not daring to scold the Pokemon for trying to protect N.

“No, people only hurt us,” N insisted, climbing onto his feet.

“That’s not-“ But before the words could be spoken, the room began to spin around them. Colors fading to white, as everything fell away from him. The only connection he still held was the feeling of Zorua’s mouth around his hand. But it was fleeting. He could feel the Pokemon easing up on its hold until it finally released him. “N!” But there was no response. The feeling of the carpet against his skin was gone. There was nothing.

The world seemed to fade back into existence slowly. White turning to green, as grass began to brush gently against his hands. The scent of flowers all around him, as Touya tangled his fingers around as many blades of grass as he could manage in order to ground himself. Trees slowly spreading their roots, and rising up around him. The sounds of Pokemon filtered into the breezy air. And then, finally, he spotted N again. Hunched over in the forest with a gathering of monsters beside him. His little body was trembling. Shaking terribly. He could hear the sobs that pained him so clearly now. Dirty hands pressed to his face, as his body leaned on top of another’s. A Pokemon, Touya thought, from what he could see of the beast. His gaze trailing along the form beneath the child until they halted. A bright crimson staining its unmoving side. It was dead.

He felt his own hands move from the ground to press against his mouth. Blood. The thick liquid coated the creature’s matted and muddy fur, trailing down along its legs before painting the grass beneath its body. Wooden splinters could be seen extending from its filthy paws, and a large one was shoved deep into the monster’s front right knee. Pushed through it so hard that Touya could pick out the bone it had struck through the skin that had been torn and pulled away from the wound by some force the teen hardly wanted to picture. Spots of faded red dotted the end of the rod where someone had tried to yank it out, but had failed. Its eyes were still open, and he could see insects lingering on the ground about the beast and boy. The sounds of hovering, greedy creatures lurking nearby.

Swallowing down the lump that had formed in his throat, he rose to his feet. Lowering his gaze away from the Pokemon that glanced towards him. Taking slow steps towards the group. Grass giving out beneath his shoes, as he inched his way closer, moving around the angry creatures carefully. Each one flinching, or snapping at me with every step he took closer to N. But this wasn’t real. It couldn’t be. But whatever it was, it was N’s reality.

Quietly, he knelt down beside the weeping child. Eyes ghosting over the Pokemon’s body briefly before he found the strength to set his hand on N’s back. He felt the boy quiver beneath his touch, and watched him as he shoved his face further into the beast’s fur. Ignoring the growls of the Zorua beside them, he leaned closer to N, running his fingers along the boy’s arm until he took the boy’s hands in his own. Blistered, and cracked, their bumps and callouses were hard against Touya’s palms. He felt his fingers press tightly against the boy’s hands, willing himself to pick the child’s head up from the Pokemon. Blood smeared across his bubbly cheeks, and damp nose. He didn’t look at Touya, and he only gave a weak tug of protest as the teen leaned forward. Releasing N’s hands in order to wrap his arms around the child’s back, and press the boy’s smudged face into the warm fleece of his jacket. He couldn’t find the right words to say, but he wasn’t sure if the boy would appreciate anything he could manage to choke out.

This was N’s reality. It always had been. If only he had tried harder to understand the other. Perhaps than he wouldn’t be on his way to a pointless battle against this beautiful, ruined man. Perhaps then he wouldn’t have argued with him, or tried to force him to understand his point of view. If he had been a batter person; a more understanding one, maybe he could have seen it. Could have tried to see it. Those scars. The bruises. The hardness of his skin. “I’m so sorry, N,” He breathed softly.

The grass brushing against his pants stopped its scratching, and the breeze died. The sounds of the frantic, and hungry Pokemon around them began to cease. And he found the world around them going white again. Felt N slip away from him. He sank onto his knees, watching as familiar colors began to overtake the nothingness around him, and he began to feel the roughness of a blue carpet against his palms. The messy room returning around him. And in its center stood a desperate purple fox with a boy crying beside him. Fists pressed against his drenched eyelids, as his legs shook; refusing to fall onto his knees.

And he could see the bruises on the child’s arms. New and old. The marks. The lines. Cuts stinging from tears that slipped over them. So many he couldn’t bear to count them all. Some deep, and some thin. But they covered him all the same. Turning his skin brown and green, or dark red. There were rips in his clothes now, and his bare feet, nearly blue, pressed painfully against the carpet.

He knew. He understood. This was familiar to him, but it hurt all the same. Tugging his heart deep into his stomach, as he watched the boy’s trembling body struggle to stand. All of the things he had never known. All of the weaknesses that had carved N into the person he knew were before him now. And so much did it make his heart ache that he feared it might explode. But he also knew that this child would become someone wonderful. Someone kind. Someone beautiful. With a heart so gentle that Touya could barely begin to understand how N had ever been so strong.

When he rose this time, he found a smile gracing over his lips, and tears nipped at the corners of his eyes. This time, the Zorua did not growl as he approached the sobbing child. Kneeling down a few feet in front of him, Touya extended his hand towards the boy. Palm facing upwards as if he was inviting a Pokemon to sniff it. “N,” He spoke so softly that the child could barely him over his own weeping. But with a sniff, N looked across at the trainer.

Allowing their eyes to meet, and keeping his smile wide on his face, he extended his free hand. Clasping it around the thick sleeve that covered his outstretched arm, and with a powerful tug, he yanked the sleeve up past his elbow. Skin scarred and scabbed where the fabric had covered. Old cuts and lines faded, but visible. Skin bumpy and uneven from years of abuse. He saw the child’s eyes widen. Saw the sadness that crept into them. But he did not flinch, even as N reached out his fingers, and ghosted them over his scarred skin. Tracing over countless lines, and allowing their bumps to rub against his own fingertips. Before he finally tightened his hold around Touya’s arm, rubbing the broken and cracked skin with his thumbs gently.

“It’ll get better. Things will change. They always do.” Still N looked down at his arm, tears threatening to spill all over again. “I know they do,” He stated, “And I’ll be there to watch them this time. To see them. I promise, N, I’ll be there for you this time.” He felt the boy shake against him. But N’s mouth tugged into a smile, and he leaned forward, pressing soft lips to Touya’s hand.

“I know you will.” Touya’s eyes widened, as he saw the child before him change into the man he had grown to love. And then he faded away. The room was empty again. Quiet, and dark just as it had been when he had entered it. Touya sank onto the floor, eyes crawling across it to where the child had been moments ago. And where Zorua had been. In their place stood a Zoroark.

With a smile, he rose. Gaze locked onto the Pokemon. “Let’s go,” He said, “I have a promise to keep.”

**Author's Note:**

> Take what you will of how this happened/Touya got to see into N's past. I just wanted to write something quick for them while I try to plan out a longer story.


End file.
